About Mae

Mae Lu is a Canada-born, So-Cal-raised Asian American 30 Something, living a dream with her hubby & dog in the magical kingdom of Hawaii.

This red-lipstick aficionado designs websites for a living and runs a fledgling lifestyle YouTube Channel in her spare time. On the weekends, if she's not filming, you can find her behind the lens of her Sony A6000, shooting scenery in Hawaii, hiking the hills and ridges of her beloved island home, or chasing the perfect sunset.

Why "thereafterish."? Because "and they lived happily ever thereafter" is just half of every story, and this is mine.

A Big Girl Birthday

May 9, 2013

Aloha, Lovecat!

Although I celebrated my birthday two nights ago, IT’S MY BIRTHWEEK**, so I wanted to let you in on my celebration. Here are some photos from my surprise birthday dinner party at YuZu, a vegetarian/vegan friendly sushi joint in Ala Moana.

As I stated yesterday, my birthday wish was to have something super low-key, understated, quiet and possibly boring. I didn’t want anyone or anything to be a big deal for my thirty-first. A cheap dinner and a walk on the beach would’ve been perfect, but Husby wanted to go out to dinner, so I suggested our new Japanese go-to restaurant in Ala Moana (the district with the big-ass mall next to Waikiki), YuZu, which provides a much broader range of options for vegans and vegetarians than other Japanese/Asian restaurants in Honolulu.

When we walked in the door, running ten minutes late, I spied our friend JB, a triathlete, extreme hiker and Doctor of Group Hugs and Handshakes, sitting on the couch in the lounge. He gave me a hugely quizzical face, probably mirroring the perplexedness wrinkling up my face. I didn’t recognize him at first, since he was scrubbed up all nice, and I only ever see him in biking or hiking gear, covered in a sweaty sheen with some streaks of Hawaiian red mud. I’m sure he was stunned by my beauty (read: not at all). LOL.

After we were seated for a few, ordered some drinks, who comes sauntering in but my very first real friend in Hawaii, Allie (of life & style blog, Heels, Eggs and Rice) and her boyf G! Allie draped a gorgeous, fragrant orchid lei about my shoulders, and, at that moment I felt like some sort of pageant queen.

Husby then informed me that our other friends M, C and their son Nico couldn’t make it, and that he had forgotten to invite a few other people. Of course, I was pretty thrown off, because I wasn’t expecting people. Husby and I generally celebrate our birthdays just the two of us and in quietude. To have people at a birthday dinner is a huge change! It would’ve been a full-on grown up party! I’ve only ever had a few of those in my life, so it was a beautiful night.

{ Da group. Missing a few good people. }

{ Allie and I discussing eyebrows and fashion bloggers, and the men discussing hiking… and GD hopping in between convos. LOL! }

{ Birfday girl’s delicious dessert. }

For dessert, I ordered a Nutella organic strawberry crépe (with the whipped creme 86’d–don’t do full on sugared dairy). Delicious, nutty, chocolate-y goodness to finish off a night of amazing conversation, friendship and fun in a gorgeous, dimly-lit, homey environment.

{ Shaka to yo mada! }

I decided against wishing, since all my birthdays have been progressively better, and each year of life improves upon the last. With my family, friends and amazing life in Hawaii, I decided making wishes would be hypocritical or excessive, or even may jinx all the good fortune with which we’ve been blessed over the last two years. I’ll just let the Universe continue to bestow all the amazingness and ride the current for as far as it takes us, perpetuating good waves and vibrations by trying to remain drama and negativity-free.

A wonderful night, all in all. Better than a mountain of presents. Mos’ def.

{ Do you make wishes on your birthday? What do you usually wish for? Share with me in the comments below! I’d love to know! }

Rock on, Lover!Me ke aloha ~ With love + aloha,
Mae Xx

**FYI: This entirely spoiled rotten, indulgent notion of a birthweek is completely farcical and said in a joking manner. I would never encourage or demand anyone celebrate my birthday for a week straight. That’s just way bratty. Also, it would be too taxing on my energy to have to celebrate that much.

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About Mae

Mae Lu is a Canada-born, So-Cal-raised Asian American 30 Something, living a dream with her hubby & dog in the magical kingdom of Hawaii.

This red-lipstick aficionado designs websites for a living and runs a fledgling lifestyle YouTube Channel in her spare time. On the weekends, if she's not filming, you can find her behind the lens of her Sony A6000, shooting scenery in Hawaii, hiking the hills and ridges of her beloved island home, or chasing the perfect sunset.

Why "thereafterish."? Because "and they lived happily ever thereafter" is just half of every story, and this is mine.